Resilient Arm or Leg Band with Semi-transparent Pocket and Concealed Fastenings

ABSTRACT

A fabric armband is sewn together from several pieces of fabric material with a pocket and pocket flap made of a semi-transparent mesh fabric and the remainder of the armband made from a highly resilient elastic fabric. The armband is formed as a truncated cone with open ends. The armband is ingeniously sewn so that most of the sewn edges of the various portions are secured so that they are not able to catch or rib on jewelry when being pulled on or off an arm.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to the field of clothing accessories such as bands, scarfs, belts and the like and is more particularly related to armbands and leg bands. Armbands for carrying a cell phone are well known and sold by retailers such as Belkin, New Balance and Griffin. Generally, an armband is a length of fabric material secured in some manner around a bare arm or over a sleeve or other clothing. An armband is also known to be used as a leg band. An armband is often worn for pure ornamentation, to mark the wearer as belonging to a group, having a certain rank or role, or being in a particular state or condition. Spring metal armbands have been used to hike-up long sleeve shirts and to secure a pant leg when riding a bicycle. When used as part of a military uniform it is called a brassard. Armbands have been used as a light reflecting element for safety at night by police and also have been used to exhibit a logo or other insignia in order to obtain public awareness. Armbands and leg bands of various types have been used as tourniquets. Bands with pockets, sleeves, grippers, and tool holders have been in common use and are known to be adapted for securing items such as firearms and other hardware. A problem with elastic armbands is that they hug the arm tightly so as not to slip downward and thereby are subject to catching stitches and fabric seams on jewelry when pulling the armband on or off. Such catching of stitches often results in tearing of seams and ultimately the destruction of the armband. The present disclosure shows how to overcome this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The presently described and illustrated apparatus is an elastic armband or leg band shaped as a truncated cone primarily to fit tightly on the extremity to which it is mounted. In this specification, “armband” shall mean a band that can be worn on either an arm or a leg. It is a fabric assembly of several separate pieces and is sewn in such a manner as to conceal most of the hems, stitches and edges of the fabric pieces. A semi-transparent pocket is mounted on the outside of the armband and is large enough to hold a cell phone, credit cards, driver's license and similar items that one may need to carry when hiking, jogging, engaging in athletics or strength training for instance. The armband is made primarily of a stretchable and resilient elastic material so that it is able to grip and hold tightly when mounted on an arm or leg.

An advantage of the presently disclosed armband is the ability to view the face of a cell phone or other electronic device as viewed through the outside of a mesh pocket which holds the phone on the exterior of the armband.

A related advantage of the armband is the ability to operate a control panel of the electronic device by touch sense through the mesh pocket fabric.

A further advantage of the armband is that its tight-fitting pocket flap, which is secured on both sides of the pocket, is able to prevent items within the pocket from falling out.

Another advantage of the armband is that its tenacious elastic resilience is able to hold the armband at a set arm position without sliding downward.

Another advantage of the armband is that it is constructed with most of its sewn edges concealed so that these edges are not subject to tearing or other damage when the armband is pulled over protruding parts of a wristwatch, wrist or finger jewelry, or other objects.

The details of one or more embodiments of these concepts are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of these concepts will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example perspective view of the presently described apparatus, an armband with an exterior pocket;

FIG. 2A is an example perspective exploded view of all of the fabric portions that are sewn together to produce the armband of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is an example plan view of an inner body portion of the fabric portions shown in FIG. 2A; and

FIG. 2C is an example plan view of an outer body portion of the fabric portions shown in FIG. 2B;

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B is a partial edge view taken along a line of sight toward FIG. 3A shown by arrow B;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a fabric armband 3 having an exterior surface 4 contiguous with an interior surface 5 and has a pocket 6 mounted on the exterior surface 4. As previously stated, the term “armband” refers herein to a band that may be applied to the upper arm, lower arm (forearm), and also to the leg, either thigh or calf The armband 3 is an assembly of several fabric pieces sewn together, including: an outer pocket portion 10, a pocket flap portion 20, an inner pocket portion 30, a connector portion 40, an inner body portion 50, and an outer body portion 60 as shown in FIG. 2A. The outer pocket portion 10, and the pocket flap portion 20 are of a semitransparent mesh fabric having minor stretch and resiliency characteristics, while the remaining portions 30-60 are of a more generally stretchable fabric such as Lycra® brand fabric which is also known by the trademark Spandex®, having a significant resiliency which allows the armband 3 to fit a range of arm sizes and also provides gripping power so that the armband 3 will not tend to slide down the arm. As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the inner body portion 50, and the outer body portion 60 when laid flat, may each be wider on one side (the right side in the figures) than on an opposite side thereof so that they may have a periphery resembling a modified isosceles trapezoid with at least one of the non-equal sides curvilinear. Therefore, the armband 3 may be shaped to conform to a truncated cone as is shown in FIG. 1.

When laid flat, the outer pocket portion 10, pocket flap portion 20, inner pocket portion 30, and connector portion 40 may be rectangular in shape but may also be a variant of the rectangle such as an isosceles trapezoid or otherwise depending on the desired conformation of the armband 3. The armband 3 may be shaped as a right circular cylinder or as a right truncated cone (FIG. 1) and may have opposing open ends 7 and 8. The outer pocket portion 10 and the pocket flap portion 20, jointly, may extend between the opposing open ends 7 and 8 as is shown. The pocket flap portion 20 overlaps the outer pocket portion 10 as shown in FIG. 3 so that when items, such as a credit card, cell phone, etc. are placed within pocket 6, the flap portion 20 prevents these items from being dislodged.

As shown in FIG. 4, the outer body portion 60 and the inner body portion 50 are fastened at opposing edges thereof to the edges of connector portion 40, inner pocket portion 30, outer pocket portion 10, and pocket flap portion 20. Edges of these several portions are aligned and mutually fastened within a space 70 between the connector portion 40 and the inner pocket portion 30 thereby concealing said edges which would otherwise be unsightly if positioned so as to be visible on the exterior 4 or interior 5 surfaces. The armband 3 is sewn together and then turned inside-out through space 70 thereby concealing most of the sewn fabric edges.

A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A fabric armband for holding a device operated via a control panel and having an exterior surface joined with an interior surface, the armband comprising: an outer pocket portion, wherein the outer pocket portion is constructed of a semitransparent mesh for manipulating the control panel of the device through the mesh; a pocket flap portion, wherein the pocket flap portion is constructed of a semitransparent mesh for manipulating the control panel of the device through the mesh; an inner pocket portion; a connector portion; an inner body portion; and an outer body portion; wherein, said outer pocket portion, said pocket flap portion, said inner pocket portion, said connector portion, said inner body portion, and said outer body portion are mutually fastened at a plurality of sewn edges; wherein, the outer and inner body portions are fastened at opposing edges thereof to the connector, inner pocket, outer pocket and pocket flap portions in a manner that conceals the plurality of sewn edges.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The armband of claim 1 wherein, when laid flat, peripheries of the outer and inner body portions are modified isosceles trapezoids with at least one of the non-equal sides curvilinear thereby enabling a truncated cone shape to the armband.
 4. The armband of claim 1 wherein, when laid flat, peripheries of the connector, inner pocket, outer pocket, and pocket flap portions are approximately rectangular.
 5. The armband of claim 1 having a shape of a right truncated cone with opposing open ends.
 6. The armband of claim 5 wherein the outer pocket portion and the pocket flap portion, together, extend between the opposing open ends.
 7. The armband of claim 6 wherein the pocket flap portion overlaps the outer pocket portion thereby preventing items within the outer pocket portion from falling out of the outer pocket portion.
 8. The armband of claim 7 wherein the outer pocket portion has a pocket opening accessible from an exterior position on the armband.
 9. The armband of claim 1 wherein edges of the portions are aligned and fastened within a space between the connector portion and the inner pocket portion thereby concealing said edges from the interior of the armband.
 10. An armband for holding a device operated via a control panel and having an exterior surface joined with an interior surface in the form of a truncated open cone, the armband comprising: an exterior pocket wherein the exterior pocket portion is constructed of a semitransparent mesh for manipulating the control panel of the device through the mesh; and portions of elastically resilient fabric sewn together with a majority of joined edges of said fabric portions not exposed to the interior surface.
 11. (canceled)
 12. The armband of claim 10 wherein the exterior pocket and a pocket flap, together, extend between opposing open ends of the armband. 